Burning in Time
by SheWhoWaits
Summary: Sequel to 'So This is How it Ends'. Amy hates her life in Manhattan, her only hope is the key that she wears around her neck. Her choice is burned in time forever and she cannot do anything about her regrets. The Doctor can't save her this time, not without tearing time apart. Is she worth burning for? Eleven/Amy pairing


**So heres the sequel you've been waiting for, hope this first chapter won't disappoint! **

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She wore it around her neck like a lucky charm. When she put it on after Rory left for work it was cold and harsh against her skin, freezing the pale beneath it until it gradually warmed and sat on her skin like it was part of her. She liked it when it felt cold, it reminded her it was there, reminded her of the life before Manhattan, that beautiful wonderful life in the stars. God how she hated this life she thought to herself. All she had done since she got here was lie, lie to other people about herself, lie to Rory about loving him, lied to herself saying she didn't need her raggedy Doctor but she did. The cold of they key reminded her that she did. She went about her day as usual like every day, the key hidden beneath her top like a secret that she carried with her.

That was until Rory came home. Then it was taken off and hidden away behind a book on the bookshelf. When Amy had 'arrived' in Manhattan her and Rory had a serious talk. He begged her to get rid of the key, move on from the Doctor and just live with him. He had always felt the need to compete with the Doctor but how could he win when he could offer Amy all of time and space. Amy knew that deep down Rory could sense she felt something for him, but ignored it and carried on loving her as always. She felt terrible for what she was doing, the lying to everyone but she owed him this and so when Rory came home that night, the key came off and was hidden away and she greeted him with a smile and a kiss with dinner on the table.

Xxxx

"Bye Rory, I love you!" Amy shouted from the kitchen. As soon as she heard the door shut with a thud she breathed a sigh of relief and ran up the stairs as fast as she could to go put on her precious key. As she got to the room she reached out and grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open. The room was still dark as the curtains were drawn, keeping the sunlight out just they way Amy liked it. She stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed the faint golden glow coming from behind the books in the bookcase. Cautiously she walked over and removed the book which they key was behind, revealing the source of the glow. The book landed on the floor with a bang and Amy carefully picked up the key, like it was made of glass and the slightest movement would shatter it. Of course the key was not made of glass and it did not shatter which was good as she instantly dropped it once she had picked it up. It was burning hot, so hot that Amy couldn't touch it. She watched as the glow pulsated slowly and into nothing until it was just a key again. She picked it up carefully and it was cold as always and in the need to feel close to her old life, slipped it around her neck.

She crawled up onto her bed, held the key in her hand and cried into her pillow. Three weeks she had been in Manhattan and this hadn't happened once, she just wished the Doctor was here to explain it all. To sound stupidly clever and talk about things she didn't understand and to somehow save the day and save her.

"Oh Doctor…why did I have to leave you…" she cried into her pillow. "I should have stayed… I should have STAYED!" she screamed at herself. "And now you'll think that I wanted to go and I'll never get to tell you I'm sorry I never stayed." She spoke as if he was still there. She did that often, spoke to him when she knew he could never hear.

Eventually Amy decided she needed to get on with her day and finish publishing the books she had stacking up on her desk. She'd just finished writing up the last of 'Melody Malone' knowing that she'd have to other wise she'd create a paradox and completely screw up time on a grand scale and the Doctor wouldn't forgive her for that. As she got to the last page on the transcript there was a sticky note.

_He might hate endings, but he needs one. Write an afterword for him._

The idea struck her, why hadn't she thought of it? And so before even beginning to write out the last page of the story she wrote her afterword.

_Goodbye Doctor because __**this **__is how it ends._

She thought that the ending might give him closure, might help him move on from her and find someone else to show the stars to. She didn't want him upset over her, she knew what he could be like when it came to emotions and she wanted him happy. Once she had written her final goodbye to him, she finished the last page of the story and got it ready to send off. She couldn't help but let the tears slide down her pale cheeks. She couldn't help but cry like she had done that night when she had accidently confessed her love, she went through that night over and over in her mind. That wonderful amazing night. She shook it all off and sorted herself out.

After getting back in from sending off the Melody Malone book to her publishers she came to a difficult conclusion. Now that she had said her final goodbye it was time to come to terms with the fact the Doctor was not coming for her. Yes she would always wait, she could give up on everything completely but somewhere deep in her heart she'd still be waiting but she wasn't going to actively wait anymore. So for the first time, she took the TARDIS key off long before Rory got home and put it back behind the shelf. She promised herself it would stay there, no more carrying it round hoping the TARDIS would turn up. If he came, she was waiting, but if not then she wouldn't feel so hurt every night that the key had not fit into its lock that day. Giving it a kiss and whispering her goodbye she placed the book in front of it and went downstairs to wait for Rory.

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